Is It Okay for Parent to Spy on Their Children Online?

According to security software company AVG, 60 percent of parents have spied on the Facebook accounts of their children. Safety is the number one reason behind their actions, yet many have argued that this lack of trust can cause a strain in a parent-child relationship. Adolescents, in particular, debate on such actions, causing them to be appalled by the lack of privacy at home.

Parents need to know that there is a certain line that should not be crossed when it comes to monitoring their children. But exactly how far is “too far”? There have been several articles about the issue, but one thing is for sure: the subject of a child’s privacy continues to be a sensitive topic and parents have various ways of defining it.

Scroll down for videos

Issue#1: Safety

ParentalControlApps

Adolescents under the age of 18 act on impulse and are easily influenced by society. The Internet gives them the freedom to search for things one can easily label as inappropriate, which makes them fall prey to dangerous situations. Parents have read stories of teenagers dealing drugs with people they meet online, while others even meet their untimely death after being lured by predators.

The solution:

Parents can enlist the help of technology to help monitor their kids without having to sabotage their privacy altogether. A reliable GPS tracking device should do the trick. Trackimo is a tracking device that will provide convenience for both parents and teenagers. This can be easily hardwired on a vehicle to be able to check on a teen’s whereabouts straight from your smartphone or computer. Parents will also receive distress signals that come in handy during emergency situations.

Issue#2: Trust

MailOnline

As stated above, teenagers don’t take the invasion of personal space too lightly. Adolescents regard their privacy as somewhat sacred, and their temperament will naturally make it difficult for parents to reason out. When a teen discovers that their parents have been spying on them, then better prepare for an explosive fit.

The solution:

Don’t spy and don’t lie. You were a teenager once, and yes, you may be born in a different generation, but that does not mean you would never get hot-tempered when you find out that your parents were secretly reading your diary. Eliminate the term “spy” and change it to “monitor.” Do not forget to clearly explain the reasons behind your actions to your children.

Issue#3: Humiliation

TheOneSpy

Online spying crosses the line when it results in public humiliation. Anything that does translate to destructive behavior should not be an issue for parents, and they should not bring this up with their child or feel the urge to comment on their social media posts.

The solution:

Be involved with your child’s life. If your son or daughter is posting unnerving quotes on their Facebook accounts, then you might want to ask how they are doing in school. Do familiarize yourself with the people they hang out with as well. You may also want have a discussion on what is safe and what is not. The more open you are with your children, the easier it will be for both of you to develop a comfortable atmosphere.

TeenShield

To keep your child safe from harmful things on the Internet, make sure you keep their trust by informing them that they are monitored. If you do happen to discover suspicious behavior, it is best to gather all the facts before jumping into conclusions. In the meantime, you may also educate yourself on the different scams and dangers online.

Parent can also resort to simple methods like setting curfew, prohibiting the use of phones during dinner, and regulating time spent on the computer. But most of all, learn to be there for your child at all times as the presence and guidance of a parent is a surefire way to create a positive effect on them.

With Trackimo you can view the location of anyone, anywhere, anytime. Trackimo unique system was designed to be highly informative and user friendly. It allows tracking the real time location of your devices, or check the history log of the device with an easily customizable time range.
Download the App
Easy to use, cost effective, worldwide real time tracking for everyone